An Eight-year-old Princess

Chapter 28 Phoenix Hairpin

"Why did Lady Shu steal the Queen's hairpin? She seems to have enough of her own." Yun Shang

looked up at Qin Yi and Qin Meng with curiosity.

Qin Yi shook her head. "You may not be aware of this but the Phoenix is a symbol of the honored

status of the Empress, which is why she wants to wear the Phoenix hairpin. If Lady Shu stole it, that

means she wants to become the Empress. That is sacrilegious, " said Qin Meng with a smile.

"No, no, " said Yun Shang in wide-eyed amazement. "Lady Shu's position in the Imperial Household is

unique. She is unlike any of the other women there. Aside from the Empress, Lady Shu is the

Emperor's favorite. Why should she covet the Queenship?"

"Empress and concubine are not the same. No matter how much she is favored, she must kneel and

salute the Empress." Qin Meng looked at Yun Shang with an air of complacency. "And above all, only

the Empress' children can inherit the throne. Now the Emperor has no sons, but if the Empress and

Lady Shu both had sons, things would be very different."

"Don't talk about the throne." Yun Shang frowned and rebuked gently. "I'll take it as I didn't hear you.

But I'm afraid that even a Princess would not be able to save you if someone else heard what you

said."

Qin Meng looked surprised and then knelt before the Princess and asked for pardon.

"I'm so sleepy now. You can leave." The princess nodded and yawned.

Qin Meng made a hasty bow and exited. Qin Yi stepped up to help the Princess prepare for bed.

"Interesting." The Princess mumbled as she lay in bed and stared at the ceiling.

"Lady Shu is quite a lady. She's been loved by the Emperor for nearly ten years even though the

Empress is quite intolerant, " said Qin Yi.

"Yes. Neither of them is weak, but it is hard to say who is stronger than the other, " said the Princess

with a grin. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

"But today, it seems that the Empress has won, " said Qin Yi.

The Empress? "I don't think so." Yun Shang shook her head. "Whatever. Just get some sleep and we'll

talk about it tomorrow."

Qin Yi responded by turning out the light. Then she went out with the lantern and lay down in the

adjacent room.

Yun Shang closed her eyes but Qin Meng's words kept repeating in her head. Only the Empress' son is

entitled to ascend the throne? Yun Shang smiled. 'How could the son of Empress Yuan Zhen be

suitable for the role of Emperor? The Empress was not fit to give the Emperor a son, ' thought Yun

Shang.

Yun Shang woke just after dawn. Qin Yi who was standing by her bedside smiled as the Princess

opened her eyes. "Your Highness, this is a surprise. You used to stay asleep until noon, but now you

wake so early! It must have been hard for you to stay out for so many years." said Qin Yi. "Let me help

you get up."

The Princess nodded and sat up in bed.

"Oh, by the way, you were right yesterday. Lady Shu said that an ingot of silver was found in the Palace

maid's room, and the incense ashes on it belongs to the Empress. She said the Empress had framed

her. Then she went to Qinzheng Hall and knelt there. She cried all night." Qin Yi reported the night's

occurrences.

"Oh?" "How clever she is! She gave the Empress a dose of her own medicine." Yun Shang chuckled.

"But..." Then she became confused. "She didn't seem to be such a schemer at first. You told me that

she had said that the Empress had framed her, and that she went to the Empress' Palace to make a

scene even though she could not prove it."

"Perhaps it was because things had happened so suddenly that she did it on impulse." said Qin Yi.

"Your Highness, did you mean..."

"Someone is helping her secretly." The Princess nodded, and thought about something that had

happened in her past life. "I don't know who it is, but I want to meet this person." She stretched out her

arms as Qin Yi helped her dress. Then she asked her how things were going. "Did my father only

dispose of the two servant girls?"

"That's right. How clever you are!" said Qin Yi with a look of appreciation. "Indeed, the two servant girls

were executed by your father while the Empress received some hairpins as a consolation. And Lady

Shu was given some tonic medicine and other gifts. What make you conclude at that?"

Actually, it is not about wisdom. She knew about this situation as she had experienced these events in

her previous life. But now, things were different, as she had a fresh start.

"Just a wild guess, " said the Princess. "And I have another guess, " said the Princess with a grin. "The

Empress will take me to her."

"That's impossible." said Qin Yi. "She is busy dealing with Lady Shu."

The Princess smirked and didn't say another word. After eating her breakfast, she received word that

the Empress' servant, Xiu Xin had arrived.

The Princess waved her in.

Xiu Xin looked older than she had been seven years ago. Her forehead was covered in wrinkles but her

eyes seemed sharper. "Your Highness, our Empress received some pink cloth from Shangyi Bureau*,

but she doesn't think pink suits her. Considering that you may not have enough clothes as you just got

home, she asked me to bring you to Qiwu Palace to take your measurements and make some clothes

for you."

(*TN: the bureau of cloth in the Palace)

Yun Shang stood up and nodded. "Thank you. I'll be right there." Putting on her cloak, she called her

servants and left for Qieu Palace.

When they arrived, the Empress greeted Yun Shang and asked her to sit down. "Shangyi Bureau gave

me cloth in bright colors, such as rouge, crescent white, etc., but I'm not young enough to wear

something so bright. Soon, it will be your Coming-of-age Ceremony, and after that, all the clothes you

have now cannot be worn. That's why I asked you to come."

"Your Majesty, thank you very much. I must, however, add that you are still young and beautiful."

The Empress stared at her until Yun Shang blushed and lowered her head. "Aha, you blush. How time

flies! It has been seven years since I saw you last. You used to be a little girl, and now you become a

very beautiful lady, and I am really happy for you, " the Empress laughed and said.

"I'm flattered. I met my brothers and sisters yesterday, and I don't feel I have achieved as much as they

have." responded Yun Shang softly, her head still bowed.

The Empress nodded with satisfaction. "After the Coming-of-age Ceremony, you will be old enough to

marry. I'm going to have a party to invite eminent men in the Imperial City. And you can choose from

them. I've been wondering who would be so lucky as to marry you."